1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to disposable gloves and dispensers therefor, and in particular a method of folding disposable gloves, and a dispenser adapted to dispense the disposable gloves.
2. Description of Related Art
An unremitting upsurge in disposable glove use continues for over two decades. The initial surge occurred in 1985, when The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed the strategy of “universal blood and body fluid precautions,” which are based on the premise that all patients should be assumed to be infectious for HIV and other blood-borne pathogens. These strategies were formalized in “CDC Guidelines for Prevention of Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis B Virus to Health-Care and Public-Safety Workers,” MMWR 1989; 38(S-6):1-36. In general, “universal precautions” requiring disposable glove use should be followed when workers are exposed to blood, certain other body fluids (amniotic fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, pleural fluid, synovial fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, semen, and vaginal secretions), or any body fluid visibly contaminated with blood. In recent years, many antibiotic-resistant, virulent, and lethal microorganisms have become increasingly widespread, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B, necrotizing staphylococcus, Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus and multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis. The use of gloves as a barrier to prevent transmission of microorganisms between patients and health care professionals has become a predominant issue in today's clinical settings, including physicians' and dentists' offices.
Disposable glove use is burgeoning beyond the clinical setting, as well. Emergency, law enforcement, correctional facility, and public-safety workers often encounter unpredictable and emergent exposures, which may make the identification of hazardous body fluids very difficult and often impossible. Furthermore, not only must workers be protected from exposure to blood and other potentially infectious body fluids in the course of their work activities, they also must protect others from infection through cross-contamination. For example, childcare and preschool centers, and even kindergartens, have become transmission points for antibiotic-resistant blood-borne pathogens.
Many workers in diverse occupations such as, in the electronics, medical device, pharmaceutical, agricultural, nuclear, industrial chemical and pesticide handling, waste management, painting, cosmetic, and body art industries and services increasingly look to a ready supply of disposable gloves to reduce their exposure to, and skin contact with, potentially hazardous materials. These materials can include toxic chemicals, pesticides, cytotoxic drugs, radioactive materials, and human, animal, or biological tissues, fluids, and wastes. Moreover, increased public concerns regarding the transmission of disease have led to measures to protect food during preparation and service.
Thus, disposable gloves have become the most ubiquitous form of barrier-type personal protective equipment, creating a $3 billion latex and synthetic glove market in 2001, in which nearly 27 billion gloves were sold in the USA alone. In many settings, disposable gloves are either legally mandated or considered to be integral with the principles of good practice.
Disposable gloves should fit properly, and should not be washed or reused. Also, gloves should be replaced once soiled or damaged, and in-between patients, victims, products, and work areas. It is desirable that even non-sterile disposable gloves be kept as clean as possible prior to use. Otherwise, biological and physical contaminants may be inadvertently transferred to the patient, the product, or the work area by the soiled gloves. Accordingly, it is most desirable to minimize contact with the finger portions of clean gloves.
Typically, disposable gloves are dispensed in random orientations from large containers or open plastic bins located at stationary points, which are subject to gross manipulation. These containers usually hold 100 or more gloves, are fixed to a sink, wall, or bulkhead, and may be covered by a metal, plastic, or wooden cover, primarily for cosmetic purposes. Often, these covers themselves can become reservoirs for pathogens. Also, these dispensers can be at some distance from the patients or work areas. If a worker exhausts their immediate supply of gloves, another trip to the dispenser site is required. As a result, glove users are often compelled to haphazardly cram extra gloves into pockets, pouches, and sacks, a practice which can grossly soil clean gloves, can intermingle clean objects with contaminated objects, and can lead to gloves falling out of pockets at inopportune moments.
Existing portable disposable glove holders do allow glove users to carry a ready supply of gloves. However, these portable disposable glove holders are reusable and refillable. With each subsequent reuse comes an additional risk of cross-contamination of the container, and thus the gloves, with accumulated microbes, chemical agents, dust, soil, blood, and any other particulate foreign material. Furthermore, such portable dispensers are refilled by manually cramming a quantity of randomly-oriented gloves, which first were plucked from a dispenser, such that gloves are handled by contact with whatever glove surface may be present at the dispenser opening, including the fingers.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,974, issued to Johnson-Rabbett on Feb. 28, 1995, and entitled “Medical glove holder,” a glove holder is disclosed that is adapted to be carried by the belt of the user, particularly, emergency medical personnel, and that is adapted for use with a substantial supply of protective gloves. Also, a dispensing opening, intended to dispense one glove at a time, is provided. This glove holder, however, is a reusable pouch made from flexible sheet material sewn together to form gusset-fold sides and a closure flap on top. The dispensing opening is a restrictive slit in front side of the sheet material that constrains the movement of gloves “stuffed” in random orientation therein. The reuse of the pouch and manipulation of the gloves during loading and unloading can encourage gross contamination of the dispenser and otherwise clean gloves. Furthermore, even if treated, fabric can attract and harbor pathogens.
As another example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,785, issued to Chudy on Nov. 30, 1993, and entitled “Protective glove provider,” a portable canister includes removably, lockably, interconnected body and base members which are comprised of semi-rigid materials, and are configured to provide a rigid canister when the members are joined. The body, which can be cylindrical, has an end wall of reduced thickness, relative to the rest of the body. In the thinner end wall is an aperture defined by flexible spokes through which gloves can be inserted and removed. The base member is provided to provide structural rigidity to the body member, and to attach thereto means for attaching the canister to a glove user or a convenient object.
As before, the glove holder is reusable, and replacement gloves are randomly stuffed into the canister, potentially leading to gross contamination of the gloves and accumulation of particulate foreign material on the canister. In addition, the canister is generally cylindrical, and can intrude against the waist of the user. This may lead to discomfort in situations where glove users are required to crouch and bend while rendering assistance or performing their duties.